Devotees of the small farming village of Bibiclat celebrate the Feast of Saint John the Baptist while covered in banana leaves and mud on June 24, 2025 in Aliaga, Philippines. Known as the “Taong Putik” (mud people), the ritual happens yearly in this small farming village as their own version of expressing their faith and celebrating the feast of Saint John the Baptist whom the survivors of the Japanese occupation in 1944 in their area prayed to for rain to save their fellow villagers. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

A milk custard bun made to resemble one of the popular Japanese “Kobitos” characters is squeezed during a display for the photographer at Dim Sum Icon restaurant in Hong Kong, China July 25, 2016. A dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong encourages diners to play with their food, and the result will either disgust or delight you. At Dim Sum Icon customers can squeeze a strange creature to poo or vomit on their plate before eating it. Hungry punters poke a hole into the mouth – or the rear – of the dim sum with a chopstick, squeeze it and watch the brown or white cream ooze out. The unique dim sums are made with a face to resemble Japanese Kobitos characters. (Photo by Bobby Yip/Reuters)

Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2015, at Yoyogi park-Shibuya, on April 26, 2015. Some 3,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people paraded through Tokyo’s Shibuya district Sunday afternoon to demonstrate their hope that Japanese society will continue to forge ahead with recent moves to embrace equality and diversity. In a nation where prejudice against sexual minorities persists, the annual Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade has sought to counter the trend by openly spotlighting LGBT residents and spreading their voices. But this year, LGBT participants and proponents seemed particularly joyous, emboldened by what they see as a blossoming of LGBT-friendly moves by municipalities and companies. (Photo by Yoshiaki Miura)

Wrestler Kairi Hojo jumps at her opponent Mieko satomura during their Stardom female professional wrestling show at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2015. Professional women's wrestling in Japan means body slams, sweat, and garish costumes. But Japanese rules on hierarchy also come into play, with a culture of deference to veteran fighters. The brutal reality of the ring is masked by a strong fantasy element that feeds its popularity with fans, most of them men. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Participants with traditional Japanese tattoos (Irezumi), related to the Yakuza, walk through the Asakusa district during the annual Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo on May 20, 2018. Sanja Matsuri festival is a celebration for the three founders of Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa neighbourhood with nearly two million people visiting during the three-day event. (Photo by Behrouz Mehri/AFP Photo)

A cat with a “stegosaurus spine” design cut into its fur is seen next to a dog at a pet shop, in Tainan, Taiwan June 19, 2016. Lee Mei-chen, Taiwanese hairdresser turned pet groomer, shaves paw prints, lion faces and characters from Japanese brand Hello Kitty on to animal backs. The teddy bear design is one of the most complex in the furry repertoire. Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Dancers perform at the Harajuku Omotesando Super Yosakoi Dance festival in Shibuya, Tokyo on August 27, 2022. Super Yosakoi festival, is a two day festival that sees thousands of dancers, in hundreds of teams, energetically perform this unique Japanese dance style that combines traditional and more modern elements of movement and costume. (Photo by Damon Coulter/SOPA Images/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Photographer and editor with Reuters for 22 years, Andrew Winning has died of brain cancer at the age of 49. Here: Elite special police run for cover after gunfire was heard from inside the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru, January 27, 1997. At the moment the shots were fired, police were parading past the residence in a show of force, and helicopters were flying above. Earlier, several armored personnel carriers rolled past the compound. Tupac Amaru rebels had seized the diplomatic compound December 17 and held 72 hostages. (Photo by Andrew Winning/Reuters)